Can nurses and doctors use social media at all?
Yes. None of the UK regulators bans social media. Each recognises that it can be a useful way to share information, learn, build professional networks and support colleagues. The regulators' concern is how you use it, not whether you use it.
The key point is that your professional standards do not switch off when you log in. The NMC Code includes an expectation to use all forms of spoken, written and digital communication, including social media, responsibly. The GMC's guidance, Using social media as a medical professional, builds on Good medical practice. The HCPC publishes its own guidance on social media for its registrants.
What does each regulator's social media guidance say?
The three sets of guidance are worded differently but cover the same core areas. The table summarises them in our own words. Always read the current version on the regulator's website.
| Topic | NMC (nurses, midwives, nursing associates) | GMC (doctors, PAs, AAs) | HCPC (allied health and other professions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confidentiality | Do not share information about people in your care. Anonymised details may still identify someone. | Do not disclose identifiable patient information without explicit consent. Small details can combine to identify someone. | Do not share anything that could identify a service user or carer without their permission. |
| Boundaries | Do not use social media to build or pursue relationships with patients or service users. | If a patient contacts you about their care on a personal profile, direct them to an appropriate healthcare setting. | Keep boundaries online as you would in person. You can decline friend requests from service users. |
| Behaviour | Do not bully, intimidate or exploit people, or incite hatred or discrimination. | Do not use social media to abuse, bully, harass or discriminate against anyone. | Use professional judgement. If something could be inappropriate or offensive, do not post it. |
| Honesty and interests | Declare conflicts of interest, including commercial ones. | Usually say who you are when commenting on health issues. Disclose interests if you endorse products. | Think about how content reflects on you and your profession. |
| Privacy | Even strict privacy settings have limits. Content can be copied and shared. | Messages in private groups may become public, and anonymous posts can often be traced. | Privacy settings cannot guarantee that a post stays private. |
Can I post about my work or my patients?
You can talk about your profession in general terms, share health information and celebrate team achievements. What you must not do is share information about identifiable patients without consent. This is where most social media concerns begin.
Many professionals believe removing a name is enough. It is not. A ward, a date, an unusual condition, a photo background or a comment from a colleague can be enough for someone to work out who you mean. Both the NMC and GMC point out that individually harmless details can add up to an identification.
- Do not post photos or videos taken in clinical areas unless your organisation has approved it and everyone shown has consented.
- Do not describe a recent, specific shift or case, even without names.
- Do not vent about a patient or family, even in a private or closed group.
- Check your employer's social media policy, which may be stricter than regulatory guidance.
What should I do if a patient sends me a friend request?
Politely decline or simply do not accept. Accepting a request from a current patient or service user can blur the professional relationship, and the NMC specifically warns against using social networks to build relationships with people in your care. The HCPC also says you can refuse requests from service users on personal accounts.
If a patient contacts you about their care through a personal account, do not give clinical advice in that conversation. Direct them to the appropriate service, such as the ward, their GP or NHS 111. Consider telling your manager if contact continues or becomes uncomfortable.
Former patients need care too. The NMC Code asks you to keep clear boundaries with people you have cared for and their families, and the GMC has separate guidance on professional boundaries. Seek advice before engaging with a former patient on a personal account.
Can I be reported to the NMC or GMC for something I posted?
Yes. Posts can lead to a fitness to practise concern if they suggest a risk to patients or could damage public trust in the profession. The NMC lists examples of behaviour that could put registration at risk. These include sharing confidential information inappropriately, posting pictures of people receiving care without consent, posting inappropriate comments about patients, bullying, pursuing relationships with patients and inciting hatred or discrimination.
The HCPC notes it may consider historic social media activity, even from before you were registered. Students can also jeopardise their ability to join the register. Each case is judged on its facts, and regulators look at context, seriousness and what you have done since.
Grace, a band 5 nurse, posted in a closed staff group after a hard night shift. She described a patient with an unusual condition and joked about the family's behaviour. She did not use names. A colleague took a screenshot, and it reached the family, who recognised the details and complained. Her trust investigated. Grace removed the post, apologised and reflected on why venting online had felt safe. She completed training on confidentiality and online professionalism and arranged supervision. Her reflection showed she understood how the details identified the patient, why the joke damaged trust and what she now does instead to manage stress after difficult shifts.
Can I share health opinions or campaign online?
Yes. Regulators recognise your right to freedom of expression, including on health policy, politics or working conditions. The expectation is that you do so in a way that respects others and does not undermine public trust.
- When you comment on health or healthcare as a doctor, GMC guidance says you should usually say who you are.
- Make sure health information you share is accurate, evidence-based and within your competence. Give context so people can check it.
- Disclose any financial or commercial interest if you promote a product or service.
- Disagree respectfully. Do not target individuals, including colleagues.
- Do not use social media to discourage or punish someone for raising concerns.
As a nurse I can tell you this supplement cures anxiety. Use my code for 20% off!
I am a registered nurse. Some people find lifestyle changes help with mild anxiety, but evidence for supplements is limited. Speak to your GP or pharmacist first. I have no commercial link to any product mentioned.
What should I do if I have posted something I regret?
- Remove it: Delete the post or message as soon as you realise there is a problem. Accept that it may already have been copied.
- Do not argue online: Avoid defending the post in public comments, which usually spreads it further.
- Get advice: Speak to your union, professional body or defence organisation. They can advise on whether to inform your employer and how.
- Be open with your employer if asked: Honesty matters. Concealing or minimising a post usually causes more concern than the post itself.
- Reflect and learn: Write an anonymised reflection on what happened, why, and what you will do differently. Targeted training can help you show insight.
Further learning
Social Media and Online Professionalism covers NMC, GMC and HCPC expectations in practical detail, including how to reflect on a lapse. If a post involved patient information, Confidentiality and Data Protection Breaches explains the wider rules on sharing information. For questions about contact with patients or former patients, the Professional Boundaries Course looks at where lines are drawn and why.
Frequently asked questions
Can nurses post about work on social media?
Yes, in general terms. You can share professional news, health information and team achievements. You must not share information about identifiable patients, post photos of people receiving care without consent, or comment inappropriately about patients. Remember that removing names may not be enough. Check your employer's social media policy as well as NMC guidance.
Can a nurse be struck off for social media posts?
Serious misuse can lead to fitness to practise action, and in the most serious cases sanctions can include removal from the register. The NMC lists examples such as sharing confidential information, bullying, pursuing relationships with patients and inciting hatred. Each case depends on its facts, seriousness and the insight shown afterwards.
Do doctors have to use their real name on social media?
GMC guidance says that when you comment on health or healthcare issues, you should usually say who you are. It also notes that anonymous posts can often be traced. Personal accounts unrelated to health are a different matter, but the same standards on confidentiality and respect still apply.
Is it acceptable to accept a friend request from a patient?
Generally no, for current patients or service users. The NMC warns against using social networks to build relationships with people in your care, and the HCPC says you can decline such requests. If a patient contacts you about their care online, direct them to the appropriate service rather than giving advice.
Do private WhatsApp groups count as social media?
Yes. GMC guidance includes private messaging in its definition of social media and warns that messages in private groups may become public. Screenshots are easy to share. Treat anything you write in a group as if it could be seen by the patient, your employer or your regulator.
Can the HCPC look at posts from before I was registered?
Yes. HCPC guidance says it may consider historic social media activity against its standards, even from before you joined the register. It is sensible to review your older posts and remove anything that does not reflect the standards expected of a registered professional.
Related courses
Social Media and Online Professionalism
This course explains how posts, comments, messages and private groups can lead to professional concerns, and what the UK health regulators expect of…
Confidentiality and Data Protection Breaches
This course explains the duty of confidentiality, the legal framework for handling patient information in the UK, and the situations in which…
Professional Boundaries Course
This course explains what professional boundaries are, how they are gradually crossed through boundary drift, and why relationships with patients and…
Sources and further reading
- Guidance on using social media responsibly. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Using social media as a medical professional. General Medical Council.
- Guidance on social media. Health and Care Professions Council.
- The Code: professional standards of practice and behaviour. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Good medical practice. General Medical Council.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.
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